Manufacture of boots and shoes.



T. LUND.

MANUFAGTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. 1910.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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THOMAS LUND, 015 BEVERLY, MASSACI-IUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

I MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Application filed April 9,1910. Serial No. 554,319.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, THOMAS LUND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certaln Improvements in the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes, of which the following descrlption, in connection with the accompanylng drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an improved method for use in manufacturing boots and shoes and has more particular reference to the operations to be performed in finishing the edges of blanks forming the upper of a shoe. In the better class of work it is desirable to fold over the edges of those parts of the upper which will not be concealed in the completed shoe in order that the shoe shall present a better and more finished appearance. Before folding the edge it is advantageous to skive it in order that the fold ,may not make that portion of the leather so thick as to produce an objectionable projection and where the edge to be folded is curved it is desirable to slit or snip the edge in order that the fold may more readily take the contour of the desired curve. Heretofore a common method of carrying out these operations has consisted in first cutting or dieing out a blank to the shape desired, skiving the edge which is to be folded, cementing the skived edge and, after the cement has dried somewhat, snipping and folding the edge. This procedure is objectionable in many ways. In the first place, it is often slow by reason of the fact that the five steps above enumerated are carried out. successively. Then, in those instances where the snipping, cementing and folding are performed in a single machine, the snipping is effected progressively as the blank is fed to a movable knife and consequently there is opportunity for inaccuracy in the product if the blank is not properly presented to the machine. Another objection to those methods in accordance with which the cement is applied prior to the snipping operation is that the partially dried cement is tacky and sticky, so that it adheres to the knives by which the snipping is done and when the blank is removed from the knives, the ocment is drawn out in strings which fall upon both the machine and the work.

An object of the present invention is to overcome these objections and to produce a snipped and folded edge upon a piece of leather by a quick, neat and inexpensive method.

These results may be effected in accordance with the present invention by cutting ordieing out the piece of leather or blank from a skin and snipping thecurved parts of its edge which it is desired to fold subsequently, and'then skiving the snipped edge preparatory to folding it. Preferably the steps of dieing out the blank and snipping its curved edges will be effected simultaneously in one operation and this procedure not only reduces the time required heretofore for carrying out the necessary steps successively but also permits the employment of a simplified folding machine from which all snipping mechanism is omitted. The process of my invention also permits the employment of a die in which snipping blades are permanently located with relation to the cutting edge so that the slits in j the curved edge of the blank maybe formed with a degree of accuracy heretofore unapproached. By this process, also, all liability of smearing or daubing the machinery or tools used is obviated and the folding is performed in a neat and expeditious manner. When the fold is to be secured by cement the cement applying operation will takeplace after the blank has been snipped and prior to the folding operation.

As herein disclosed the blank is cut out in a clicking machine by the use of a suitably shaped die and the curved edge is snipped simultaneously with the dieing out operation. An improved die capable of both cutting out and snipping or slashing the blank is disclosed and claimed in my copending divisional application Serial No. 621,528 filed April 17, 1911, but the method of the present invention may be practised by other means.

' The steps in the manufacture of a Blucher quarter having a curved and folded edge will now beshown and described in order to illustrate the method of this invention but it is to be understood that the invention may be readily and advantageously applied to the production of other blanks, the edges of which it is desired to fold.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate one manner in which the method of this invention may be practised and which also show a preferred embodiment of my novel die, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my novel cutting die or knife; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the said die placed upon a skin of leather in a clicking press; Fig. 3

is a perspective view of the cut out blank in a skiving machine; and Fig. f is a view showing a quarter with the curved edge snipped and skived and part of it folded over.

Referring to Fig. 1, the die consists in the knife 1 provided with a continuous cutting edge 2 properly formed to cut out a quarter of the size and shape desired. The edge 3 ofv the knife blade is continuous with the edge of the remainder of the die and is provided in addition. with inwardly projecting cutting portions 4, the edges of which are in the samev plane as they continuous cutting edge of the, die. I preferably employ this die in connection with a clicking press such as that illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 921,503, granted to Arthur Bates, but it should be clearly understood that the use of the die is in no way limited to operation in this type of machine but it may be used in any other manner in which cutting dies are used.

The. clicking press. is provided with a cut ting block 5 upon which they skin or work is placed and with an arm 6 which can be swung over the die and which upon depres sion of the lever 7 will descend upon the die with sufficient force to cause the. latter to cut through the work. In operation the skin or work 11 is suitably placed upon the cutting block 5 of the clicking press and the die 1 is placed upon the selected portion of the skin with the knife edge resting thereon. The arm 6 is. then brought over the die and upon depression of the lever 7 by means of a handle 12, the arm is brought forcibly down upon the die with suflicient pressure to cause the same to cut through theleather to the block 5. The arm 6. is then swung away from above the die and the cut out blank and die. removed. The peculiar form of the curved edge. 3 of the die and the inwardly projecting knives 4 causes slits to be snipped along the curved edge ofthe blank at the same time that the blank is cut out, thus accomplishing in a single operation, at a single stroke what it has. previously required two separate operations to perform, and furthermore these operations have heretofore been separated by intermediate steps. After the, blank has been died out as above described, the curved edge is. run through a skiving machine and skived off.

Referring to Fig. 3, reference character 8 indicates a common form of skiving machine in which the curved edge of the blank or quarter 9 will be skived off as shown at 10, leaving a scarf or thin edge for folding. Cement is now applied to the scarf formed by the skiving machine and the portions of the material between the slits 13 which have been formed by the snipping operation are folded back, thus producing a quarter or other blank with a smooth, well-finished edge suitable for use in high class work.

It will be noted that the slits are formed in the edges of the blank, not by the removal of any material, but merely by the passage of a thin sharpened blade and that the tongues so formed are in a strict sense contiguous. The term snipping is used herein to denote this operation as distinguished from the operation of forming V-shaped notches or serrations, commonly known as pinking.

An important advantage of the present invention results from the fact that those parts of a boot or shoe upper which are turned in or folded need not be entirely free from defects. A small defect on the edge of a skin which is to be folded under is of no consequence and the operator in placing the die can utilize the stock to better advantage by being able to see exactly Where the cutting edge will fall. Furthermore, the inwardly projecting knives 4 clearly indicate to the eye which edge of the blank it is that will be folded and the operator thus knows readily that upon that edge he may use a certain latitude in placing the die with the result that considerable saving of leather is effected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 2-- 1. In the manufacture of boots. and shoes, the method which comprises simultaneously dieing out a blank and snipping an edge thereof, thereafter skiving the snipped edge and folding said edge back upon the blank.

2. In the manufacture of boots and shoes, the method which comprises dieing out an upper blank, snipping an edge thereof at the curved portions only without removing any material simultaneously with the dieing out operation, and subsequently folding the edge back upon the blank.

3. In the manufacture of boots and shoes,

the method of manufacturing an upper blank which consists in simultaneously dieing out and snipping an edge of the blank, thereafter skiving said snipped edge, applying cement thereto and folding said cemented portion.

4. In the manufacture of boots and shoes, the method of making a part for an upper which comprises snipping an edge of a blank and thereafter skiving said edge.

5. In the manufacture of boots and shoes, the method of making a part for an upper which comprises snipping an edge of a blank, skiving said edge, and folding said edge back upon the blank.

6. That improvement in the art of finishing the edge of a blank which comprises dieing out a blank, simultaneously with the dieing out operation forming in the'curved edges of the blank a series of short slits without removing any material, and subsequently cementing and folding the edge back upon the blank.

7. That improvement in the art of manufacturing boots and shoes which consists in 5 and subsequently forming a permanent fold 20 in the skived edges of the blank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS LUND.

'Witnesses:

HERBERT W. KENWAY, ARTHUR L. RUssELL;

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

, Wuhlnzton, D. G. 

